Crews respond to sulfur dioxide leak in Oliver Springs

OLIVER SPRINGS — Emergency management personnel from both Roane and Anderson counties responded to a possible hazardous materials leak at the Oliver Springs Waste Water Treatment Plant on Joel Road onWednesday — but residents and city employees reportedly weren’t exposed to dangerous chemicals.

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By Beverly Majors/Staff

Oakridger - Oak Ridge, TN

By Beverly Majors/Staff

Posted Feb. 11, 2013 at 7:25 PM
Updated Feb 11, 2013 at 7:28 PM

By Beverly Majors/Staff

Posted Feb. 11, 2013 at 7:25 PM
Updated Feb 11, 2013 at 7:28 PM

OLIVER SPRINGS — Emergency management personnel from both Roane and Anderson counties responded to a possible hazardous materials leak at the Oliver Springs Waste Water Treatment Plant on Joel Road onWednesday — but residents and city employees reportedly weren’t exposed to dangerous chemicals.

Oliver Springs City Manager Tina Treece said emergency management officials told her the sulfur dioxide leak was “a non-event,” meaning the leak was not substantial enough to pose a danger. Treece said she was alerted to the leak about 8 a.m., when employees got to the plant and the “alarm was going off,” which means “a leak in a chemical container.”

Treece said sensors will pick up any leak and cause the alarm to sound.

Sulfur dioxide is the same chemical released by volcanoes, and would have a pungent, irritating smell, according to information from several websites. The chemical could be considered a major air pollutant if a substantial amount leaks into the atmosphere.

Treece said after being told about the alarm, she called the Police Department, who in turned called the Roane and Anderson counties' offices of emergency management. She said both counties sent representatives to the plant. Oliver Springs Fire Department responded also, as did Oak Ridge Fire Department, responding to the call for mutual aid.

Roane County Emergency Management Director Howie Rose said the same as Treece — a small leak from a 150-pound cylinder “set off the air monitoring alarm.

“We had a joint operation,” he said of personnel at the scene. He said personnel from his office monitored the air and “got a very small amount of product.”

Treece said the leak posed no danger to anyone on the scene or nearby residents.

“The Police Department went to neighboring houses and told residents to stay indoors,” Treece said, adding that decision was only for precaution.

The plant is “still operational,” she said.

The city manager said the cylinder itself wasn’t the source of the leak. A line to the cylinder ruptured. She said the line was “closed off and replaced.” She said plant employees will test the line again after service is complete.

Treece said the plant has three full-time employees who were never exposed to any chemicals.

“It went really smoothly,” Rose said. “We were in and out in about an hour.”